In some power applications or systems, a stacked device configuration is used to form a low-power switching device that can withstand very high-voltages. For example, a low power (e.g., one watt to thirty watt) power adapter or charger may rely on two or more transistor devices and voltage limiting Zener diodes that are configured in a stack act as a single switch device that is used to control the flow of a current. Individually, each transistor device in the stack may only be rated to withstand approximately twenty volts. However, by stacking the transistor devices, the grouping of transistor devices can function as a single switch device that can withstand typical, AC line voltages (e.g., upwards of one hundred twenty to four hundred volts).
Despite their advantages, some stacked device configurations suffer from undesirable power-losses which can occur during the turn-off or passive VDS transitions of each transistor device in the stack. During an increase of VDS across each individual transistor device in the stack, the CDS charging current associated with that device flows across a respective voltage limiting Zener diode, resulting in a loss.